It was rare for N to wake up feeling as fatigued and sluggish as he did, but he didn’t think much of it. Despite the slight dizziness that started once he sat up, it was nothing too strong as to keep him from making his usual wandering rounds about Benu. He had gotten sick plenty of times on his treks back home on account of a weaker immune system, so he decided it was nothing he couldn’t just ignore. It would pass soon enough.
As Zoroark and Reshiram went off to hunt, he made his way to the farm on the other edge of town, people-watching all the while. A few mentions of sick family members and dying crops met his ears, and as he got to the farmlands, he found that even the livestock were discussing similar things.
"And she’s fallen ill as well?" he asked one of the dairy cows, upon realizing that their numbers had dwindled since his last visit.
“Yes. It’s a terrible shame… Our people seem to be doing all they can, but they don’t know what’s plaguing her… None of us do.”
N reached over the fence to consolingly pat her head. “I’m sorry, my friend… Perhaps there’s something I can do to help? I can’t sit idly by when a friend is suffering.”
“Oh, no— Your good wishes are enough. I don’t know of anything else you could do. If our people can’t do anything—”
"They don’t go into the forests, though, do they? They’re afraid to go too far. I’ve been reading about the plants that grow here. There are some that lessen symptoms of illness, yes? The probability of me being able to find them is small, but…"
“I don’t know, N, dear, that’s—”
It was as good a plan as any, he thought. The forest was vast; maybe he wouldn’t be able to find anything that would be of actual use, but it was better than doing nothing. He promptly left for the forest, disregarding the building nausea in his stomach as simple nervousness, and called for Reshiram.
Once they had landed in the depths of the forest, his symptoms only worsened. His steps gradually became clumsier, and some of the plants he chose to collect slipped from his fingers before he could put them into his bag. His mind made the connections: he was sick, more so than he had previously thought, likely sick with the same strain that was affecting most of Benu.
"Reshiram—" he began to call, considering asking the dragon if they should change their plans. But the act of turning sent a wave of dizziness through him, and he would have collapsed if Reshiram hadn’t leaned down to support him. He clutched the Pokemon’s feathers with one hand to steady himself as he fought back the urge to vomit.
"Reshiram, I… I feel sick… I don’t think I can—…"
His voice was painful, close to a childish whine; Reshiram regretted not having forced him to turn back sooner. It was the dragon’s duty to protect its hero, but it wasn’t exactly well-versed in medicine. With a growl, it pulled N onto its back and took again to the air.
Back home, there would have been Pokemon in the wild that could help them, Pokemon like Audino that could cure ailments. But here, it seemed the only choice was to return to town and seek human aid.
Reshiram made its landing downtown, taking care not to damage any of the buildings. N slid from its back, his grip too weak to hold himself upright any longer. He tumbled to the ground, where he curled into a pitiful ball, his body wracked by shivers.
Reshiram hovered over him, poised to protect, but its eyes began to search the surrounding houses. This was a residential center; surely there was someone nearby that could offer them help.